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6.0

Overall Score

LAST UPDATED: October 17th, 2023

Equifax is a credit monitoring agency that was founded in 1899 in Atlanta, Georgia. The privately held company offers an identity protection Lock & Alert service for both individuals.

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The Good

  • Identity Theft Prevention
  • Free Service

Identity Theft Prevention

Equifax works to catch identity theft before it even happens. The company provides triple-bureau credit monitoring, internet scanning, social security number monitoring, fraud alerts, and credit freezes.

Free Service

Equifax's Lock & Alert service is a free service that allows customers to easily lock and unlock their Equifax credit report. By locking their credit report, customers can have additional protection against identity theft criminals. 

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The Bad

  • Limited Recovery Services
  • No Antivirus Software

Limited Recovery Services

While Equifax does offer assistance with financial identity recovery, there are a number of other restoration services that the company does not provide. For example, Equifax cannot help with medical, criminal, or tax identity recovery.

No Antivirus Software

Equifax does not provide its customers with antivirus software to protect sensitive data on their computers. 

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The Bottom Line

Equifax offers a free identity protection Lock & Alert service as well as several other services. However, Equifax's recovery services are limited and the company does not offer antivirus software. 

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Star Rating

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4.1

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64 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

61%

4 grade

14%

3 grade

9%

2 grade

3%

1 grade

13%

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Deborah Dyer Hendersonville, TN

I have been a member of Equifax for a little over 3 years now. It’s nice to be able to pull up their website and check for any unusual activity that I might have had on any of my credit cards. They have two programs that you can enlist in. I choose the lesser amount and it gives me the information I need. I have another company that also I am a member of, that cost somewhat more per month, so I chose to take Equifax’s lesser program. Both Of Equifax programs are great for them checking unusual activity or large amounts of activity. Being one of the three standard credit companies that any business will check your credit under, I am glad they also offered this protection program . It’s a great service for the world we live in today where there are scammers around every corner😫

8 months ago

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ScottB31369 Fort Lauderdale, FL

Equifax has TERRIBLE customer care! Andrea the young woman who took my call, can’t say helped me because she was no help at all and rude as can be. Not only did she talk over me multiple times but had no idea how to help me and only repeated to my what my score was and what was on my report. Absolutely NO HELP AT ALL!!! Equifax lowered my score by 61 points over night with absolutely no change to my credit report at all and had absolutely no explanation for this. Just repeating my report like I said. When I asked to speak to a supervisor all I got was a run around! Told they had to look for one, then put on hold for 10 minutes. Ridiculous! And so everyone knows, Equifax’s customer care is located in the Philippines! So the place that has more scams then anywhere in the world has all our personal information, and I mean ALL personal information. Not good.

5 months ago

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Brian Newman El Paso, TX

Prior to having any type of credit score review outlet, I just charged and made payments here and there. After downloading the free Equifax app, I learned the negative impact of my actions. I quickly saw how I could increase my credit score and then I really learned the benefits of having that great credit score when buying a car. Being able to an Equifax Boost was an added bonus which was great at increasing my core almost instantly.

2 years ago Edited February 28, 2022

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Dale Berridge Tucson, AZ

I received an Equifax four year identity/credit monitoring service because of a class action lawsuit against them and so far I am impressed with the depth of monitoring provided. Licence, pass port, bank, credit and dark web plus things I would never have thought about like my medical coverage. So far so good. I would recommend this service to anyone seeking to protect their information from the many ne'er-do-well's lurking out in the world.

2 years ago

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Carolyn Hazleton, PA

Just recently I received a notification about my information being compromised with my email address and I was notified to reach out to Equifax. Their customer service was great they worked with me and provided excellent tools to work to resolve the issues I was having. Great ideas on how to be better proactive in todays electronic world. Thank you

2 years ago

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RONALD WHITE Phoenix, AZ

Decent experience with Equifax in setting up our identity theft account. Our info was exposed a couple of years ago and they worked with us in closing any and all loopholes. It was fairly simple once we got in and set up our information so we would not be exposed to any kind of Identity Theft. We know it is not 100% foolproof but feel more comfortable in knowing that we have a high degree of protection. Our main problem was that we locked our credit account when we started this procedure but was unable to figure out how to unlock so we could check our credit scores and other such info. I would still recommend Equifax for assisting us in this matter. Just be careful upon locking your credit info Thanks Equifax for assisting us.

2 years ago

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Rebecca D Sterling Heights, MI

My experience with Equifax was amazing. I was able to monitor my credit report while still having the added protection of the Identity Shield add on. I think it’s a great product especially with todays times being uncertain. It gives you your current score and you can pull up your report anytime to verify any suspicious or possible fraudulent activity. Would highly recommend.

2 years ago

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Joanne_motherofanangel Shelby, NC

I used to think Equifax was the enemy because of someone stealing my identity. A family member used my name to get a credit card and never told me or paid it. I thought Equifax was just there for bad news. They told me they were going to help me. I already signed up for one other place but canceled and I needed help. I was in a chat with Equifax and they called me to go over what I needed to do. I followed through and they saved me. My credit is finally getting better and I have only 2 companies in the world to thanks with Equifax being one of them! Top rating here for me. 5 star!!

2 years ago

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Precious H. Red Oak, TX

I always check and monitor my credit reports. Equifax has given me 6 free credit reports within a specific time frame and it helps a lot whenever I am getting ready to make a purchase on credit. I can also easily freeze and unfreeze my credit to have more control over who sees my info.

1 year ago

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Jane Milton Reidsville, NC

Equifax Identity Protection Goes Above & Beyond! Superior Communication & Customer Service. Equifax Stays On Top Of Your Issue. Notifications Every Step Of The Way 24hrs A Day. I Highly Recommend Equifax For Any Identity Issues You May Be Experiencing. Keep Up The Impressive Work Equifax!!

1 year ago

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David Drake Shelbyville, IN

Great people to work with will let you know your credit score also they let you know when people has did a credit check up on you they will notify you by email or text and believe it or not if there’s something wrong in advance they can help you straighten it up off of your credit record also they offer accrediting overlook where they monitor your account all the time don’t be shy give them a try

1 year ago

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Tony Lolli Meyersdale, PA

I thought my id might have been stolen when I discovered a questionable purchase. It was easy to make contact with Equifax. The representative quickly understood the reason for my call and was quick to help solve the problem. She was also courteous and client centered.

1 year ago

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James Goodman Silverdale, WA

Equifax is protection is okay, little pricey and has some room for improvement. In my experience their customer services could be a little better. Was on hold for over 20 minutes and when disconnected, had to start all over again. Their online format is helpful, but not as user friendly as other protection programs I've used. My experience is "so-so" with Equifax, I ended up shopping around.

2 years ago

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Autumn Lewiston, ID

When comparing rates, Equifax identity theft protection offers identity protection and credit monitoring at a reasonable price compared to similar companies. I really like how Equifax offers protection of my money, SSN, medical numbers, and will help recover my identity.

2 years ago

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J. Garrett Detroit, MI

When I became a member with Equifax I had never had a problem with identity theft but I learned a lot from them. Someone's identity can be stolen easier than I thought. Equifax alerted me every time something suspicious popped up with my identity. Very helpful company!

2 years ago

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Chad Edgar Columbia, MO

On Equifax I can check not only my FICO score but my three individual scores as well I'm so grateful to have them they have a very good ID protection program they keep very vigilant eye on your personal transactions made through the account they will watch your back and catch the slightest breach thank you Equifax for being amazing

2 years ago

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David Wilhelm Escondido, CA

They are very prompt and responsive to inquiries about credit standing and have a helpful resource to securely protect one's credit report from unauthorized access. I highly recommend them when considering locking a credit report as a way to prevent fraud and unauthorized access.

2 years ago

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Lisa Hochstetler Porter, TX

I bought the whole Equifax package which included identity protection and credit score coverage. Equifax did a great job of protecting my accounts. I stopped the service as I felt it was a bit expensive and I'm on a fixed income. I do trust Equifax as it's a big company that seems very trustworthy

2 years ago

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Abi Dallas, TX

I use Equifax to stay on top of my credit and to protect my identity. So far, I am loving the services they offer, from repairing your credit to protecting you from scammers and identity theft! Equifax identify monitoring is affordable and easy sign up process. I’m so happy to know all my personal information is protected with them!

2 years ago

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Gary Sorrento, FL

Equifax has very strict protection policies and procedures to safeguard their individual credit report information. I rely on their data collection procedures and the security they apply. We have been involved in financial transactions several times, including our recent purchase of a new home with a mortgage, when Equifax did the credit report segment. Never had an issue or error committed by them.

2 years ago Edited May 11, 2022

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Amy Baker Richmond Hill, GA

I have used Equifax to dispute things on my credit report. Great responses and great customer service. Their mobile app is very user friendly.

9 months ago

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Heather H Sanford, FL

Equifax is a decent option to have for the fraud alerts and protection - if you weren't involved in a data breach. Their communication has room for improvement and their mailings are excessive.

11 months ago

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Kiyomi Baker

I was contacted by a financial institution to verify some information for opening a savings account which is normal for me as I dealt with identity theft about four years ago. He mentioned after the verification that one of my credit cards was showing a much higher limit than what I thought. I contacted my bank, and they confirmed everything looked normal. Then, I tried to contact Equifax *cue Law and Order theme* I tried 7 phone numbers throughout this entire situation. I went through countless automated messages (including the one asking for all of your information to get your FREE credit report which after 20 minutes just asks you send in a letter with all that information anyways - just a tiny, tiny slice of the how useless and convoluted their IVR system is), and by the time I finally got through to a real person (48 minutes into this process), where she cheerfully said "yup, I can check!", to only be told, sorry, this line is for the US only, please call the Canada line. So I called the Canada line. Straight up busy signal - no IVR, no phone queue (and I run a call center, so I know how these systems work), clearly out of service or not functional. Back to the website - try another two phone numbers. Busy signal. Try the Equifax line for the recent breaches - I get a gentleman who not only can't access any of my personal information (so how are they supposed to check if your information was compromised, exactly?), he couldn't even give me a phone number or transfer me - I imagine he's been getting sh** on all day so I politely said thank you and hung up, but I honestly can't tell you what they're being paid for. Another 5 minutes down the drain. At this point, over an hour in, I cave and decide to access my credit report online, either to check the information for myself, or get access to this so called "dedicated phone line in the Member Center". I paid my 16.95, verified that the information the original guy gave me was incorrect and there was nothing to worry about. Then I spend the next 20 minutes trying to find a phone number to cancel the service, as the first two (where "please cancel my service" leads you to), again didn't work, and had a busy signal. I finally find a number that works, and ask to cancel my service, and for a refund. Where I'm politely told that yes, I can have the monthly subscription cancelled, but nope, no process for refunds (which is a load of bullsh**). So when I asked "so, you're telling me that in order to confirm my suspicions that I may have had fraud on my account, or my IDENTITY STOLEN, that even if I had been able to contact someone, anyone, I would have had to pay you, over the phone, for that information". Apparently that is a yes. So, Equifax, not only is your website useless, your phone lines and IVR system completely chaotic, nonsensical, and a huge waste of time (not to mention ridiculously sensitive, I coughed at one point and got taken back all the way to the beginning of the options), your staff for the breach completely ill equipped to handle customers (and therefore probably hating their lives while being yelled at by people who, shocker, kind of value their personal information and want to talk to someone who can actually help them), but you, at this point in time, to me, seem like straight up thieves. I've had my identity stolen before, and all I wanted was a confirmation that this information was either correct, or not, without having to wait for my "free" credit report in the mail while someone could have been racking up a credit card in my name. Long story short, I'm out two hours of my life and 17$ for something that I could have called ONE line for, and with proper verification been actually HELPED by your organization, instead of feeling robbed and angry. I tried to keep this to the point, and respectful of the people working for your company, because I get it, they don't make the rules, they don't run the system, but WOW...your company is just awful.

6 years ago

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John Howarth

After seeing the adverts to check your credit score through Clearscore, I opened an account with them where they take all their information from Equifax. The information Equifax give to Clearscore to issue a score is so outdated and incorrect. They are a dangerous company when it affects your personal finances. Trying to contact them is very difficult with E-mails taking weeks to be answered and then with generic answers. If you ring them with calls being transferred overseas, it is so difficult to actually understand the personnel as English is not their first language. They then try to pass the buck and say it is the responsibility of Clearscore who should be contacted. E-mails have been exchanged but the Equifax staff seem incapable of understanding simple statements. They have the audacity to make false statements regarding my bank account and then advise I should contact my bank to correct the situation when it is simply Equifax who have no clue as to what they are doing. Whilst contacting Equifax by E-mail, they then advise that they need to see a copy of my credit report to investigate my concerns. This is the very same credit report that Equifax produce. I really question the knowledge of the staffing of this outfit as they simply cannot understand common sense.This company requires investigating by the authorities,and details have been sent to the Financial Ombudsman. BEWARE.There are other similar companies to use instead

6 years ago

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Therese Markert Minneapolis, MN

Equifax ID Patrol was offered to me when I called in to place a fraud alert with all three credit bureaus on my accounts. It was described as offering unlimited 3-in-1 credit reporting, as well as alerts related to identify theft, however I received only ONE 3-in-1 credit report, and no alerts as of today (5/4) from when I signed up on 4/9. I essentially paid Equifax $16.95 for what should have been free. I called in to get written confirmation of product details, but was referred to their secure website to get this info using my product login ID. I tried to get a refund for the product on 4/13, but was told that no partial month refunds are given. I would NEVER recommend this product to anyone. I feel cheated.

7 years ago

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Ashley Columbus, GA

DO NOT USE EQUIFAX!!!!!! I purchased a credit report in December and a few days later, decided I did not want it anymore. I called in to cancel my subscription/membership. I was given a confirmation number but did not write it down (stupid me). Today, April 12th, I noticed I received bills for December, January, February and March. I spent forty minutes on the phone and was transferred three different times. The second person I spoke with said they have no record of me calling and could not do anything to refund me. I was then transferred to ANOTHER person to cancel my subscription and have to pay for this current billing cycle.

7 years ago

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Tara Gillispie Philadelphia, PA

Equifax has been around for a very long time and they have never disappointed. I first used them for my credit score monitoring and that’s how I learned about the identity protection and it has been wonderful since day 1.

1 year ago

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Krystal Cooke Houston, TX

So far so good! Always tells me when they do there checks. Gives a list of things to do to better protect yourself from would be thieves. Having a company go that extra miles is awesome

1 year ago

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Gaju Shrestha Herriman, UT

Equifax has been a simple and convenient service for checking my credit score as well as monitoring my identity. The process was easy to set up and I get alert if there is any inquiries or changes in my credit.

2 years ago

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Noa Ranoa Vista, CA

First, Equifax monitors your online presence. Second, it has a fast responsive website. That's important. Your credit score is important, Equifax dedicates it's resources to you. I've had a great experience.

2 years ago

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Michelle Crane Phoenix, AZ

I use this company to keep up with my credit scores. There has never been any issues with my privacy or any other issues with this company. Credit is revealed quickly and accurately

2 years ago

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charlie dang Garden Grove, CA

Really good at updating any new inquiries or any large balances carried on any account I have. The only thing preventing from giving them 5 stars is that the constant solicitations for credit is annoying. I understand they need to generate revenue, but maybe cut it back a little.

2 years ago

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Jlbflatx New Braunfels, TX

Was used in past years after a security breach from massive stolen information . Was able to view my reports easily online and had no problems with any theft. A trusted company. Good offers.

2 years ago

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Anita Clearwater Beach, FL

The problem I have with equinox is trying to get a hold of someone you can understand as everyone is in India somewhere . This makes me very nervous that all these people on the other side of the world has my ss and personal information.

9 years ago

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K.M. P. Charlotte, NC

I appreciated that they offer Both $1 Million in ID Theft Insurance and $1 Million in Stolen Funds Replacement. They also have the Automatically Recurring Triple-Bureau Fraud Alerts and Internet Monitoring. However, some functions are unusable due to antiquated website. They also don't have a mobile app or social media monitoring.

1 year ago

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Samuel Greenfield Middle River, MD

pretty strieght shooter of a company. when it comes to protection gxots to speed. block everything or nothing lol. if you play hands off your finances and are scared of the online boogy man. also not a teckey then youl want the first one. just think its a bit much for folks like me.

2 years ago

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Terri Kingman, AZ

I had some fraud going on in my credit, called to see what was going on and was rerouted to another association who helped me figure out what was going on

2 years ago

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Fernando

Identity Protection is something everyone should have and they should have it with Equifax. They watch over you like a big brother would. They take my worry away.

2 years ago

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Jon Scoresby Saratoga Springs, UT

I had my identity stolen. I worked with equifax to get things cleared up and it was pretty good for the most part. I pay a little for them to monitor my credit and i think it's a good deal. I do wonder if something were to happen if the monitoring would be enough though.

4 years ago

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lena Crystal Lake, IL

Tried to get someone in the US to speak to and all I keep getting is the Indian call center and they do not understand what I need this is the worst customer service ever. So no resolution, how can I get my issues corrected when all they do is read off a piece of paper.Totally unbelievable and they hold my credit in there hands over seas.

7 years ago

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Liz Cross Saint Paul, MN

Equifax is extremely slow in updating information, reports information that is two years old as if it were new, and their "customer service representatives" are almost impossible to understand, completely unhelpful, and rude.

7 years ago

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Abby Smith Dothan, AL

I have used Equifax for about 2 years now and they have never disappointed me. I’m always contacted immediately if something is strange.

1 year ago

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Theresa Clemon Chicago, IL

I love the fact , knowing that my account is safe, I can check my account for my scores. I love that the access to my , I have control.

1 year ago

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DM DM Warrington, PA

After HD got hacked, I got this service and continue to use it. Super simple to use and makes me feel confident I am always protected.

1 year ago

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Erik Lewis Atlanta, GA

It was good, we got updates whenever a breach happened. They did a great job of presenting information without being scarry.

2 years ago

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Joe O Hoffman Estates, IL

Alerts me to movement or things happening I should know or that seems unusual and I can manage from the app.

1 year ago

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Russell Vastine Aurora, CO

Have been using Equifax for a while to monitor my credit I like how easy it is to look up on their website.

2 years ago

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Brett Schiftner Weatherford, TX

The service seems to be effective although you don't really know if nothing happens, and is reasonably priced

2 years ago

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GREGORY MC LENDON

VERY GOOD AT LETTING US KNOW WHEN A CREDIT CHECK WAS DONE AND THIS IS VERY HELPFUL

1 year ago

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Kenny Roberts Calhoun, GA

They always have up to date reporting and the information is always thorough and easy to navigate.

1 year ago